Mexican heather

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade helps in very hot, dry gardens.

Water

Keep moderately moist while establishing. Once established, water when the surface soil dries; prolonged drought reduces flowering.

Soil

Well-drained soil with moderate fertility; tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m)

Flowers

Small purple to lavender flowers from late spring until frost; flowering can continue much of the year in frost-free climates. White and pink forms are also available.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, narrow, glossy dark-green leaves densely arranged along fine, branching stems.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm weather.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Invasive in

Australia

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant outdoors after frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
• Water deeply when the surface soil dries; check containers more often during hot weather.
• Apply a light dressing of balanced fertiliser in spring; avoid heavy feeding.
• Spread a thin layer of mulch around plants, keeping it away from the stems.
• In frosty areas, bring container plants into a bright, frost-free place before autumn frosts and reduce watering.

Pruning. Lightly trim in spring as new growth starts to maintain a compact shape, removing dead or frost-damaged stems. A light trim after a flush of flowers can tidy leggy plants; deadheading is unnecessary.

Early spring

Trim overwintered plants as growth resumes and remove dead stems.

Spring

Refresh container compost or apply a light feed to established garden plants.

Late spring

Plant out after the last frost, allowing room for the plants to spread.

Summer

Check soil moisture regularly and water containers before they dry out completely.

Summer

Take non-flowering softwood cuttings if you want replacement plants.

Autumn

Move plants you want to keep into bright, frost-free shelter before the first frost.

Winter

Keep sheltered plants just moist and do not leave pots standing in water.

• Edge paths and borders with a low, informal ribbon of fine foliage and small flowers.
• Plant around larger tropical foliage plants to soften their base without hiding their leaves.
• Use in patio pots with compact salvias or begonias for a long flowering season.
• Mass beneath taller shrubs in bright, lightly shaded beds for a soft, continuous ground layer.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Tropical, Modern courtyard, Pollinator garden, Small-space and Mexican hacienda.

Plant it with: Salvia, Angelonia, Wax begonia, Pentas, Coleus and Dwarf agapanthus.

Wildlife: The small flowers provide nectar for bees and other flower-visiting insects, including butterflies.

• Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage, empty pot saucers and let the surface dry between waterings.
• Spider mites in hot, dry conditions or indoors: look for stippled leaves and fine webbing, rinse leaf undersides and use insecticidal soap if needed.
• Yellowing or leaf drop after chilling: move containers to frost-free shelter and avoid planting out too early.
• Sparse flowering and leggy growth in deep shade: move to a brighter position and lightly trim to encourage branching.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is recognised as poisonous, but it is an ornamental rather than a food plant, and eating substantial amounts may cause digestive upset.

Where it spreads. Can escape cultivation and self-seed in warm, moist climates. It is regarded as an environmental weed in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, and is naturalised in Hawaii. Check local advice before planting near bushland or waterways.

• Common heather (Calluna vulgaris)

  True heather has tiny, scale-like leaves and flowers grouped along upright shoots; Mexican heather has glossy, flat leaves and individual flowers in the leaf axils.

• Cigar plant (Cuphea ignea)

  Cigar plant has conspicuous, long red-orange tubular flowers with pale tips, rather than Mexican heather's tiny, open purple, pink or white flowers.

The name hyssopifolia means hyssop-leaved, while Mexican heather refers to its native region and its superficial resemblance to true heathers.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or summer and root them in moist, free-draining propagation compost under bright, indirect light. Seed is another option, but seedlings may not match named varieties.

Accepted botanical name

Cuphea hyssopifolia

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest and Nicaragua.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.